May I wish everyone a really happy and healthy new year!
The start of a new year is often a time that we think about what we would really like to achieve in our lives, it offers the chance of a clean slate, a time when we can put negativity behind us and think about different ways and possibilities that we could improve ourselves in some way.
Although we can start off feeling very confident and positive about these planned-for changes, very often we find that it is nigh on impossible to keep to our original plans as we find 'real life' in the form of stresses, time limitations, challenging people etc. get in the way, and so we tend to give up. And then what happens is that this episode of 'giving up' is stored in our mind as another little 'failure' to remind us how hopeless we are when it comes to achieving our goals.
Can I suggest a few hints and tips which may help you to achieve what you want to achieve, whether this is a healthy body, good grades in your exams, confidence at work?
1)Keep it simple - when thinking about your goal, make sure that it is realistic and achievable, and be very precise about exactly what you want to achieve. Don't be tempted to stop smoking, lose weight and train for a marathon at the same time.
2)Give yourself a realistic time frame in which to achieve your goal.
3)Visualise how you will be when you have achieved it - really see yourself, feel the feeling, hear what people are saying. The more detailed you can be in this, the better - perhaps you could even have an image or a photo to help keep you on track.
4) Make the time to have at least 10 minutes per day when you can completely relax and switch off, call it self-hypnosis, meditation, whatever you like, it is a brilliant way to de-stress and get rid of what I call the 'grrrs' - we all have them.
5) Be good to yourself, have healthy and spirit-lifting rewards to keep you going.
6) Notice how much better you are feeling.
7)THIS ONE IS REALLY IMPORTANT - if you have a day or two in which you 'fall off the wagon' this does not matter, there is no such thing as failure. Just get back on again as soon as you can.
Good luck in whatever you wish for in 2012!
All the best,
Wendy x
Tuesday, 27 December 2011
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Mindfulness
I am currently reading a fascinating book called 'mindfulness and hypnosis' by Michael Yapko, an American psychologist/hypnotherapist.
Mindfulness is sometimes known as meditation, but tends to be without the spiritual context which is usually referred to with meditation. It involves being fully present in the moment, in other words focusing solely on what you are doing at that particular time and you can apply it to anything that you do, whether that is eating, driving, reading etc. In essence it is 'being' not 'doing' so it involves endeavouring to switch off that part of the brain which over-analyses, cogitates, ruminates and so just allowing yourself and your body to be totally aware of that one thing that you are doing.
This type of technique is very difficult in our technology-driven, 24/7 world, as we often feel that we need to be doing and thinking about lots of different things at once in order to be efficient. Women in particular are known to have 'multi-tasking' abilities, and this is seen as an advantageous, as time can be saved if you complete more than one task at a time.
However, I tend to feel that this way of living and working can lead to us being overburdened and stressed, and whilst a bit of stress is sometimes a good thing, if we are constantly on the go, trying to do several things at once, then our minds and our bodies can sometimes start to tell us that it is all too much, resulting in mental or physical illness.
I encourage all my clients to try to have a little time each day when they can just be still and quiet, not having to think about anything in particular, or do anything at all. If you make a regular habit of having this peaceful time to yourself then you will really start to notice the benefit, mentally and physically. If you really do not have time for this then the alternative is to be mindful in the things that you do - when you are eating, for example, completely be aware of all the tastes and sensations in your mouth. Perhaps when you go for a walk, be conscious of the rhythm of your steps, the air on your face, the feel of your arms moving by your side.
Nowadays we all have a tendency to 'live in our heads' and I think that this means that much of what is there to be enjoyed and experienced to the full passes us by.
Consciously developing a mindful attitude will enable your mind to feel clearer, you will feel lighter and freer, and you will tend to feel a much deeper sense of well-being. Mindfulness is now beginning to be recognised by mainstream medical professionals in the treatment of depression, resulting in many people achieving lasting relief from this debilitating illness.
Hypnosis, as Michael Yapko explains, is very similar to mindfulness in that the individual is going into a state of focused attention, but in hypnosis this tends to be a focus on the hypnotherapist's words, so in that sense it is like a 'guided' mindfulness. I feel, however, that it can definitely give the same benefits, just by having that period of time when all other distractions are 'switched off', so that the mind can be allowed to rest and relax during the process. In my opinion, in this way, hypnosis can be very powerful in that not only is the mind given chance to rest and recuperate, the suggestions made by the hypnotherapist gently guide the client to achieve their particular goals for treatment.
If you would like to book a free consultation, at which you can discover more about hypnosis and how it can help you, please ring me on 01449 780352 or 0781 7158429, or you can email me on wendy@wendychalk.co.uk.
All the best,
Wendy
Mindfulness is sometimes known as meditation, but tends to be without the spiritual context which is usually referred to with meditation. It involves being fully present in the moment, in other words focusing solely on what you are doing at that particular time and you can apply it to anything that you do, whether that is eating, driving, reading etc. In essence it is 'being' not 'doing' so it involves endeavouring to switch off that part of the brain which over-analyses, cogitates, ruminates and so just allowing yourself and your body to be totally aware of that one thing that you are doing.
This type of technique is very difficult in our technology-driven, 24/7 world, as we often feel that we need to be doing and thinking about lots of different things at once in order to be efficient. Women in particular are known to have 'multi-tasking' abilities, and this is seen as an advantageous, as time can be saved if you complete more than one task at a time.
However, I tend to feel that this way of living and working can lead to us being overburdened and stressed, and whilst a bit of stress is sometimes a good thing, if we are constantly on the go, trying to do several things at once, then our minds and our bodies can sometimes start to tell us that it is all too much, resulting in mental or physical illness.
I encourage all my clients to try to have a little time each day when they can just be still and quiet, not having to think about anything in particular, or do anything at all. If you make a regular habit of having this peaceful time to yourself then you will really start to notice the benefit, mentally and physically. If you really do not have time for this then the alternative is to be mindful in the things that you do - when you are eating, for example, completely be aware of all the tastes and sensations in your mouth. Perhaps when you go for a walk, be conscious of the rhythm of your steps, the air on your face, the feel of your arms moving by your side.
Nowadays we all have a tendency to 'live in our heads' and I think that this means that much of what is there to be enjoyed and experienced to the full passes us by.
Consciously developing a mindful attitude will enable your mind to feel clearer, you will feel lighter and freer, and you will tend to feel a much deeper sense of well-being. Mindfulness is now beginning to be recognised by mainstream medical professionals in the treatment of depression, resulting in many people achieving lasting relief from this debilitating illness.
Hypnosis, as Michael Yapko explains, is very similar to mindfulness in that the individual is going into a state of focused attention, but in hypnosis this tends to be a focus on the hypnotherapist's words, so in that sense it is like a 'guided' mindfulness. I feel, however, that it can definitely give the same benefits, just by having that period of time when all other distractions are 'switched off', so that the mind can be allowed to rest and relax during the process. In my opinion, in this way, hypnosis can be very powerful in that not only is the mind given chance to rest and recuperate, the suggestions made by the hypnotherapist gently guide the client to achieve their particular goals for treatment.
If you would like to book a free consultation, at which you can discover more about hypnosis and how it can help you, please ring me on 01449 780352 or 0781 7158429, or you can email me on wendy@wendychalk.co.uk.
All the best,
Wendy
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
Depression
The recent tragic death of Gary Speed has been a great shock to all. It seemed to colleagues and friends, as well as fans, that he had everything going for him - a wonderful supportive family, a great career and was generally well-loved and respected - that his apparent suicide is baffling and inexplicable.
We cannot know what was going through Gary Speed's mind at the time - sometimes people suffering from depression are so ashamed of their feelings that they become adept at hiding them, and to all intents and purposes 'appear' to the outside world as if everything is fine. We can only guess that Gary's state of mind was clearly very disturbed at the time of his death and we have no way of knowing the reasons behind this, however it does seem to be that the stigma of clinical depression is still very much in existence, as many people feel ashamed and embarrassed to admit to being depressed.
It is vitally important that a strong message is conveyed to people that clinical depression is an illness (just like arthritis or diabetes) and people suffering from this CAN be treated, and ultimately achieve mental wellbeing. The wonderful Stephen Fry has done much to help in this area, having been very open and honest about his own bipolar disorder, but it still seems that the general consensus is that depression as an illness is poorly understood and even in some cases seen as a weakness in character.
I always urge people who come to me with symptoms of depression to go to their GP in the first instance. It may be that there is a physical reason for their low mood, and this needs to be explored. Whilst many people are reluctant to take medication, this can sometimes (along with counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy or hypnotherapy) be extremely useful.
This is often quite a difficult time of year - some people may be thinking of lost loved ones, many are finding it hard to think of how they are going to finance Christmas, some people feel the sting of loneliness even more than usual. If you are suffering, I do urge you to seek help, whether this is speaking to a friend or family member, contacting the samaritans or speaking to a medical professional.
My thoughts and prayers go to Gary Speed and his family.
Best wishes,
Wendy
We cannot know what was going through Gary Speed's mind at the time - sometimes people suffering from depression are so ashamed of their feelings that they become adept at hiding them, and to all intents and purposes 'appear' to the outside world as if everything is fine. We can only guess that Gary's state of mind was clearly very disturbed at the time of his death and we have no way of knowing the reasons behind this, however it does seem to be that the stigma of clinical depression is still very much in existence, as many people feel ashamed and embarrassed to admit to being depressed.
It is vitally important that a strong message is conveyed to people that clinical depression is an illness (just like arthritis or diabetes) and people suffering from this CAN be treated, and ultimately achieve mental wellbeing. The wonderful Stephen Fry has done much to help in this area, having been very open and honest about his own bipolar disorder, but it still seems that the general consensus is that depression as an illness is poorly understood and even in some cases seen as a weakness in character.
I always urge people who come to me with symptoms of depression to go to their GP in the first instance. It may be that there is a physical reason for their low mood, and this needs to be explored. Whilst many people are reluctant to take medication, this can sometimes (along with counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy or hypnotherapy) be extremely useful.
This is often quite a difficult time of year - some people may be thinking of lost loved ones, many are finding it hard to think of how they are going to finance Christmas, some people feel the sting of loneliness even more than usual. If you are suffering, I do urge you to seek help, whether this is speaking to a friend or family member, contacting the samaritans or speaking to a medical professional.
My thoughts and prayers go to Gary Speed and his family.
Best wishes,
Wendy
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